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Influence of Aging and Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors on Baroreflex Sensitivity
Author(s) -
Piccirillo Gianfranco,
Di Giuseppe Vincenza,
Nocco Marialuce,
Lionetti Marco,
Moisè Antonio,
Naso Camilla,
Tallarico Demetrio,
Marigliano Vincenzo,
Cacciafesta Mauro
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1046/j.1532-5415.2001.49209.x
Subject(s) - medicine , baroreflex , blood pressure , cardiology , heart rate , cholesterol , population , endocrinology , environmental health
OBJECTIVES: To examine the influence of known cardiovascular risk factors (cholesterol, blood glucose levels, arterial pressures, heart rate, and aging) on baroreflex sensitivity. DESIGN: An observational epidemiological study. SETTING: Geriatric Division at the Policlinico Umberto Primo, University of Rome La Sapienza. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred three subjects whose ages ranged from 9 to 94 years, apparently healthy and free of detectable clinical evidence of atherosclerosis. MEASUREMENTS: All subjects underwent determination of baroreflex sensitivity by phenylephrine infusion (BS phe ), and by a noninvasive method derived from spectral analysis of R‐R interval and arterial pressure variabilities (α index). RESULTS: The population, subdivided into tertiles for each variable studied, had lower BS phe values and lower α indexes as a function of age, plasma low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure. The α index was significantly lower in both groups with elevated LDL cholesterol levels than in those with lower levels (II and III vs I tertile, P < .001), whereas BS phe differed significantly only in the two groups who had extreme levels of LDL (I vs III tertile, P < .001). Multiple regression analysis identified a negative association of the α index with age ( P < .001), heart rate ( P < .01), area under the glucose‐response curve ( P < .001), and LDL cholesterol ( P < .01), but of BS phe only with age ( P < .001) and heart rate ( P < .01). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that some risk factors for coronary heart disease adversely influence baroreflex sensitivity.